Copper base alloys



Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COPPER BASE ALLOYS Donald K. Crampton, Marion, and Henry L. Burghofl, Waterbury, Conn., assignors to Chase Brass & Copper 00. Incorporated, Waterbury,

Conn, a corporation No Drawing. Application April 28, 1938,

Serial No. 204,915

7 Claims.

from about 3.5 to 1 to about '7 to 1, and preferably about 5 to 1, and copper, the copper, beryllium, nickel and phosphorus constituting about 93% or more of the alloy, with or without one or more additional elements in such substantiallyinnocuous amounts as do not seriously impair the desired properties of the alloy, that is, in such amounts as do not essentially change the nature of the alloy, and such expressions as copper, beryllium, nickel and phosphorus constituting substantially all of the alloy; are intended to cover alloys including such amounts of addi- 25 tional elements.

The additional elements may range up to a total of about 7%, depending on what elements are added, some being more innocuous than others. Thus, while each of the elements iron and aluminum should not be present much in excess of about 0.1%, silver, which is comparatively innocuous, may be present to as high as about 5%. Zinc may be present to about 3%, tin to about 0.5%, cadmium to about 1%. Other elements may. also be present. Thus, for example, elements which improve the machinability with very little effect on the desired age-hardenability and small-grain size, may be added, such as lead about 2%, tellurium about 1.5%, selenium about 1.5%, sulphur about 1 In absence of silver,.the total of all the said additional elements may be as high as about 3 With silver, the total may be as high as about 7%. A more preferred range for the alloy is for the beryllium to be from about 0.75% to about 2.25%, nickel from about 0.15% to about 1.5%, phosphorus from about 0.03% to about 0.3%, with the ratio of the nickel to phosphorus the same as given for the first-statedalloy, and the facts concerning additional elements being the same as in the case of the first-stated alloy. 4 Three preferred specific alloys may be advantageously made having nominal or approximate composition as follows: 5

Alloy number l 3 4 Beryllium 0. 5 l. 0 2. 0 Nickel 0.5 0.5 0.15 Phosphorus 0.1 0.1 0. 03 Copper Substantially the remainder.

The above three specific alloys have agehardenability and small-gram size as follows:

Rockwell B" hardness Hardness points Grain Alloy number increase size,

As Maximum due to mm. m

quenched hardness aging as aged The above three specific alloys. were heated or annealed at about 1400 F.; then quenched and given a second heating or annealing at about 700 F., to age-harden the alloys. go

Wrought binary copper-beryllium alloys containing 0.5% beryllium are not susceptible to age hardening and have a grain size of about 0.07 mm. or more when heat-treated the same as the preferred alloys given in the foregoing table. Wrought binary copper-beryllium alloys containing 1.0% beryllium when similarly heat-treated give a grain size of about 0.07 mm. or more, and no increase in age hardness unless given an unusually long aging heating, and even then the increase is very slight. Wrought binary copper beryllium alloys containing 2 to 2.5% beryllium can be age-hardened but have a grain size of about 0.07 mm. or more.

In general, alloys made in accordance with the 46 present invention are heated or annealed-at some high temperature in the range from about 1250 F. to about 1500 F., with a subsequent quench followed by a reheating or second annealing or age-hardening treatment at a lower temperature 1 in the range from about 500 F. to about 1000 F.,

or by slow cooling from the first or high-temperature treatment. Additional hardening may be imparted by cold-working between the high-temperature anneal and the age-hardening treatment, or in the case of alloys containing lower amounts of beryllium, by cold-working after the age-hardening treatment.

In addition to age-hardenability and smallgrain size, alloys made in accordance with the present invention have fair electrical conductivity, and permit of easily producing sound, dense cast ings well suited for working by ordinary processes.

The invention maybe carriedout in other specific-ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended. to be embraced therein.

We claim:

1. A copper-base alloy characterized by a combination of age-hardenability and small-grain size and containing: beryllium from about 0.4% to about 2.5%; nickel from about 0.1% to about 2%; phosphorus from about 0.02% to about 0.4% and the ratio of the nickel to phosphorus being from about 3.5 to 1 to about 7 to 1; and copper; the said copper, beryllium, nickel and phosphorus constituting substantially all of the alloy.

2. A copper-base alloy characterized by a combination of age-hardenability and small-grain size and containing: beryllium from about 0.75% to about 2.25%; nickel from about 0.15% to about 1.5%; phosphorus from about 0.03% to about 0.3% and the ratio of the nickel to phosphorus being from about 3.5 to 1 to about 7 to 1; and copper; the said copper, beryllium, nickel and phosphorus constituting substantially all of the alloy.

3. A copper-base alloy characterized by a combination of age-hardenability and small-grain size and containing: beryllium from about to about 2.5%; nickel from about 0.1% to about 2%; phosphorus from about 0.02% to about 0.4% and the ratio of the nickel to phosphorus being about 5 to 1; and copper; the said copper, beryllium, nickel and phosphorus constituting substantially all of the alloy. v

4. A copper-base alloy characterized by a combination .of' age-hardenability and small-grain size and containing: beryllium from about 0.75% to about 2.25%; nickel from about 0.15% to about 1.5%; phosphorus from about to about 0.3% and the ratio of the nickel to phosphorus being about 5 to 1; and copper; the said copper, beryllium, nickel and phosphorus constituting substantially all of the alloy.

5. A copper-base alloy characterized by a combination of age-hardenability and small-grain size and containing: beryllium about 0.5%; nickel about 0.5%; phosphorus about 0.1%; and copper; the said copper, beryllium, nickel and phosphorus constituting substantially all of the alloy.

6. A copper-base alloy characterized by a combination of age-hardenability and small-grain size and containing: beryllium about 1%; nickel about 0.5%; phosphorus about 0.1%; and copper; the said copper, beryllium, nickel and phosphorus constituting substantially all of the alloy.

7. A copper-base alloy characterized by a combination of age-hardenability and small-grain size and containing: beryllium about 2%; nickel about 0.15% phosphorus about 0.03%; and copper; the said copper, beryllium, nickel and phosphorus constituting substantially all of the alloy.

- DONALD K. CRAMPTON.

HENRY L. BURGHOFF. 

